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Each December, I tingle in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season. I savor it all…the songs, the sentiment, the TV specials, the homey smells of cinnamon, apple cider, and cookies, and the spirit of tzedakah.
I’m Jewish, born and raised in New York, married to a South African man who is the son of an Evangelist minister.
In our family, we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. Read the rest of this entry →
Hanukkah begins this Saturday night, so there’s no time like today to hone in on your latke recipe. Today we’ve got a recipe for oven-fried potato latkes. If you’ve never tried this frying strategy before, this is going to rock your world. No more being a slave to the frying pan while the house swarms with hungry adults and their gelt-fueled, manic children! Also, way less mess. Win!
Oven-Fried Potato Latkes
By Zoe Singer
Adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark. As Melissa points out, this recipe is easily multiplied (or halved, actually). If you make more than one batch, add a bit more oil to cover the bottom of the pans after the first batch, and reduce the baking time to allow for the pre-heated pans. Read the rest of this entry →
“How do you pronounce it? Ah-vee-tle? Ah-vie-tle?”
“It’s pronounced Ah-vee-TAHL.”
“Ah-vittle?”
“Ah-vee-TAHL.”
“Oh…yeah. I get it. That’s pretty.”
I always dreaded the first day of class from ninth grade on. Because on that first day you had to sit through roll call–where they ran down the list, calling out students one at a time, checking off attendance and putting faces to names. It shouldn’t have been that big of a deal. But my name? It always seemed to cause a stumbling block for folks, at least outside the Jewish community. Before entering the public school system, I attended a Schechter elementary and middle school where the name Avital never caused anyone to bat an eye. But once outside that comfortable Jewish space? There was no telling how my name would be butchered. Usually, teachers would mess it up a few times before I had to pipe up to correct them, drawing the stares of everyone in class. Read the rest of this entry →
We’ve got an exclusive message from Shalom Sesame and our favorite residents of Sesame Street. Elmo, Grover, and Cookie Monster have come together to wish us a Happy Hanukkah. Gather the kids around to see what their furry friends have to say!
If you’re a fan of Shalom Sesame (and of course, you should be) don’t forget to check out their website and Facebook page for awesome videos, pictures and more.
As the father of a mixed-faith child, this is the time of year reserved for my deepest holiday insecurities. I feel like I’m playing catch up from the moment the first Christmas decorations appear in the local mall, i.e., August.
My wife, while not “severely” Christian, does like holding onto the home-décor traditions of her youth. So we have a tree. This is catnip for a little girl, what with its glimmering ornaments and color overload. And don’t forget the promise of the coming bounty beneath. What does Hanukkah do to compete? Hanukkah reaches across the aisle and offers half-hearted blue and white ornaments, Stars of David dangling between plush versions of the cross. And as far as gifts go, the tradition of giving presents at Hanukkah only developed so Jewish children wouldn’t feel bad at Christmas time.
This adds up to a significant trade deficit between the two holidays. Read the rest of this entry →
Today in our line up of Hanukkah recipes, we’re excited to share this delicious recipe for sweet potato-parsnip latkes. It totally counts as eating vegetables, even if they’re fried.
Parsnip-Sweet Potato Latkes
by Adeena Sussman
Of the many ways to commemorate the miracle of Hanukkah–in which a small vial of oil lasted 8 days in the Holy Temple–my favorite is to prepare treats fried in oil. Latkes (Yiddish for pancakes) come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, a big difference from my childhood, when potatoes seemed to be the only ingredient of choice. Potatoes still reign supreme, but there are eight days of Hanukkah–ample time to try this recipe, which embraces the spirit of the holiday and adds a modern twist. Read the rest of this entry →
What to get for the kiddos this Hanukkah? Finding gifts that are at least a little Jewish is always a plus. Consider making some of these great gifts from ModernTribe part of your kids’ eight nights.
The perfect mezuzah for any star wars lover, this is. It’s one of the many Star Wars LEGO Mezuzahs ($35-$45), including ones featuring Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Count Dooku, Mace Windu. If you’ve got more of a Hello Kitty fan on your hands, we’ve got that covered too. Read the rest of this entry →
When it comes to Hanukkah, menorahs are kind of a big deal. You’ll have to look at it for eight days straight, so you better find one you really like. Here are our favorites from ModernTribe.
This Glass Menorah ($24.00) is both elegant and a bargain. It provides a simple base so you can get creative with colorful candles. Even better, its clear design prevents a clashing with any of your holiday decor. Read the rest of this entry →
Do you know what’s coming up sooner than you might think? That’s right, it’s Hanukkah. And as you start to do your online shopping, one place to check out is Rabbi’s Daughters, which is full of clothing, jewelry, and accessories, all with some Jewish flair.
It’s also where you can get this awesome travel bag, full of classic Yiddishisms, for free with any purchase:
That’s right–beginning now and up until December 7th (the day before Hanukkah starts), Kveller readers who make any purchase on Rabbi’s Daughters will get this adorable travel bag for free ($60 value). And know you’ll be in good company–Mayim Bialik loves the bag, and even got one to give to her Big Bang co-star, Melissa Rauch.
The important details:
In order to get the bag, write “KVELLER” in the comments section during checkout. The bag will not show up in your shopping cart, but if KVELLER is in the comments section, it will be shipped with your order. Again, this deal will go through December 7, 2012.
Election day may have come and gone, but voting is still going strong in Kveller and PJ Library’s $5,000 tzedakah giveaway!
We’ve got 10 amazing not-for-profit organizations (as nominated by you) competing for $5,000 from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and you can vote once a day, every day, until November 30th.
You may not get an “I Voted Today” sticker, but you can sure rest easy knowing you’re helping the charity of your choice.
Click here to vote today (and tomorrow, and the next day, etc.)!
**And remember, families in the New York metro area can still sign up to receive free Jewish books from PJ Library through Kveller by clicking here.
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